McCoy Studio hosts Hawai‘i International Film Festival: A Celebration of Culture, Storytelling, and Resilience (October 19-20, 2024).

On October 19th and 20th, the McCoy Studio will host the Hawai‘i International Film Festival, showcasing the state’s unique narratives. A diverse combination of documentaries, shorts, and movies celebrates Hawai‘i’s culture, history, and people this year. This year’s festival has poignant stories, exhilarating mockumentaries, and insightful cultural pieces for everyone. Here’s a look at the schedule and featured films.

Saturday, October 19th: 1:00 PM: Kaniela: The Daniel Kaleikini Story
68 minutes | English | 2024
Director: Michael Lum, Pawel Nuckowski
The late “Ambassador of Aloha,” Daniel Kaleikini, shaped Hawai‘i’s tourism business in the 1950s. This heartwarming documentary commemorates him. This homage depicts Kaniela’s remarkable life, from local performances to Las Vegas and Japan, using interviews taped just before his death. Nicholas, Kaniela’s grandson, helps finish this legacy project, keeping her spirit and love of Hawaiian culture.

3:00 PM: Made in Hawai‘i Shorts Program: Healing Lahaina, Shave Ice, Kai Hali‘a (Sea of Memory), and Reclaim
Duration: 89 minutes | Languages: English, Hawaiian (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi)

Healing Lahaina
35 minutes | English | Year: 2024
Laurel Tamayo directed
After the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, director Laurel Tamayo reveals her experience of loss and survival in this poignant short. She considers resilience, climate change, colonization, and community strength in disaster via her family’s journey.

Shave Ice
English | 19 minutes | 2023
Director: Jaye Orikasa
Shave ice is popular, but this video explores Hawai‘i’s frozen delight. Discover the cultural background and anecdotes behind the syrupy snack that has become synonymous with island life.

The Sea of Memory
Duration: 9 minutes | Languages: English & Hawaiian (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi) Year: 2024
Director: Angelique Kalani Axelrode
This abstract memory study examines a diasporic kanaka reconnecting with family, ancestry, and trauma. Genealogy and the ocean heal and restore the protagonist.

Reclaim
Duration: 26 minutes | Languages: English & Hawaiian (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi) Year: 2024
Director: Geeta Gandbhir, Justyn Ah Chong
Two young brothers learn hula as a dance and a potent cultural reclamation tool. One of them represents their ancestry and the Hawaiian language and traditions at the Merrie Monarch competition.

5:30 PM | $1M
English | 99 minutes | 2024
Stefan C. Schaefer directed
Hawai‘i-made world premiere
A houseless Maui man inherits a million dollars. What happens? This amusing mockumentary follows Guy, a loveable clown whose life transforms overnight. In this unexpected adventure of fame and fortune, Guy rapidly discovers his true pals with a new entourage and a documentary crew following him.

8 PM | Terrestrial
76 minutes | English | 2024
Director: Alex Farnham
Terrestrial is a sci-fi comedy about a teacher attempting to make sense of his life with an estranged partner and an alien-like monster. This crazy, homemade adventure combines horror and fun in classic Hawai‘i style, starring Big Island filmmaker Alex Farnham and local actress Lindsay Watson.

Sunday, October 20th: 1:00 PM Shaka, Aloha Story
80 minutes | English | 2024
Alexander Bocchieri directed
Hawaiian Premiere Made in Hawaii
Explore the fascinating origins of Hawai‘i’s “shaka” gesture in this insightful documentary. In the 1910s, community leader Tutu Hamana Kalili may have invented the hand signal that symbolizes aloha and harmony.

3:30 PM: Above the Clouds
82 minutes | English | Year: 2024
Director: Jalena Keane-Lee
This documentary follows the ladies leading Hawai‘i’s largest political push to halt the world’s largest telescope on Mauna Kea. Three families show how action and intergenerational healing can survive cultural preservation and opposition.

Playing With:

The Queen’s Flowers
Duration: 12 minutes | Language: English | Year: 2024 Director: Ciara Lacy
In this charming animated film, Emma, a young Hawaiian girl in 1915, crafts a unique gift for Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last reigning monarch of Hawai‘i. A fascinating tale of ethnic pride and innovation.
6:00 PM Molokaʻi Bound
Duration: 112 minutes | Languages: English & Hawaiian (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi) | Year: 2024
Director: Alika Tengan
Kainoa De Silva wants to reunite with his family, especially his son, after years in prison. Reintegration into society is harder than he expected. In Molokaʻi Bound, a dramatic story explores forgiveness, reconciliation, and identity challenges in modern Hawai‘i.

Mark your calendars and experience Hawai‘i cinema!